Some hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles use high voltage that instantaneously reaches as high as 1200V, for example. For this reason, an electrical connector to which such a high voltage is applied is provided with an electric shock prevention mechanism in order to prevent an operator who handles the connector from getting an electric shock.
In this regard, JP2003-068401A discloses a connector in which a slidable member for preventing contact with a male contact is provided inside a hollow portion in which the male contact is disposed, and the slidable member is provided with an engagement arm extending forward for engaging with a mating connector.
An electrical connector provided with such an electric shock prevention mechanism is required to have high reliability to ensure that the electric shock prevention mechanism is caused to function such that the operator or the like will never get an electric shock.
However, the aforementioned connector disclosed in JP2003-068401 does not ensure the engagement of the engagement arm with the mating connector with the slidable member located in a retreat position and poses a risk that the slidable member may not follow the mating connector to unmate.